Kjerrskredkvelven, great ice repeat in Norway by Scherer and Schmitt

With more than 500 ice climbs under their belt, one might think that German alpinists Matthias Scherer and Tanja Schmitt might be somewhat dulled by what nature offers in the coldest season. This couldn't be further from the truth and a recent trip to Norway resulted in the duo being literally overwhelmed by the beauty of Kjerrskredkvelven, a massive ice climb in the Gudvangen valley. An area which, according to Scherer, hosts "some of the biggest water ice lines on this planet." Which in the case of Kjerrskredkvelven translates into a 1000m high and 1300m long ice climb, graded V, WI 6.

While the first ascent is attributed to Marius Olsen, the recent repeat probably climbed a different start and also a different final pitch due to the better ice conditions this year. Scherer & Schmitt followed in the footsteps of a Russian team who had climbed the route a day before them but as Scherer states, what is important is not who did what first, but the fact "that these 1300m was climbed all clean. Simply fantastic!"